Extensible supporting post for clotheslines



s. P. TUREK EXTENSIBLE SUPPORTING POST FOR CLOTHESLINES Filed March 8; 194s Aug. 24, 194s;

lll@ L @if-5 mll-"mlm L Patented Aug. 24, 1948 isgumey iP. firmen, La Grangewfmf.,mangim-ma maaermnireiMsg=coi-pomtimvehicwgm 111;;1

corporatidnfuf Illinbis i `aswell; It isfa-ceriinly desirable that-the post be 4'easily `'anu readilyfxextensible :or contractible; sbas'toibe madefetlieriing or sho'r't, `avc-cording;'5to thewishe's 'f the-user.-

"The particular featureWithin/tuch'my-im/entioi'i isi-Here dnce'inedf-ela'itesto fa, friction l'ofck' which s'feieetivejitp suppfftdne 'of'the tblarelements when extended outwardly nlative to 'the other. Unless thef'lo'ck beseimir'e, theel-post -mafy fco'llapse thereby rendering it unfit for its inten'ded'fsrvi'e. Accordingftomyfinven'tibn, the lock -is'in the foi-mifofffa'lplate 'lwhih when abssemled in place, will y-rer'nan permanently so. Tt is normally rokedby gravity toa downlposit-ion Where it presents certain aciiltiywangled edges irl-'engagement with lthe As'urfaceo'f the 'ifaiise'c tnibula'r felenenft. Raising-Of this-element tofdi'fferentheigltsi acc'oiing ras' 'Iecfliiree'tiy by'=cnd'itions, may beperformed 'Without tcvutiin'g the `lock whh autemati'cally '-relases A4its grip upfon l"thetubular ele merit when any up "movement *takes lila-ice. The moment this l'mcweziient `stops; theTo'ck takes hold again withawt h:my ,tterition Lvon then-aft of' the user. *it "operates to fe'm'riit extension 'in 4@me `drire'eto'n only 'for any' desed'disftfan'cewthin the mvement 'range'f the raised element To relasethe l-ok, it' 's 'necessary 'only to"a`pp1y theretla 'lightlifting for-ce "Wher'eup on the lra'ised .tubula'nrimentis fr'ee to descendby gravity.

ezitensile post` having a llok withy `these chara'cfterstics'ycan Ibe vproibita-ed: .at small' expense,` andthe. operation `Lefv thettoek. maybe. dependa-bly relied .upm when su-biectedto use und-er. 'all the various 'cmzuctiticmsV encountered #in serviee. It readilyfadapts. thepostfbr lengthened outdoor use and @for shortened @rr-"doar stemge, all` as Ywill '-be heieinaaterfexplai'nedim dsetaii.`

,fAnfexmptieati-nn mitnimmt/ewan :is seit/forth in 'aewmpanwmgdrawmg wherein:

20 which is curved through perhaps 270, the diameter of this incomplete circular opening being very slightly greater than the outside diameter of the tube T. A second and smaller through opening 2| is formed in the yopposite end region of the lock plate, the periphery of this opening being-extended throughA perhaps 270, The diameter of this latter opening is very slightly larger than the outside diameter of the pipe P. Between the two openings there is a communicating gap defined by a neck 22 which is arcuate on both sides. On the neck side which faces the larger opening 20, I have provided a pair -of notches 23 defining angular seats the purpose of which will presently appear. Y The peripheral edges of the two openings 20 and 2| as well as the double-faced neck therebetween, are substantially normal to the upper and lower surfaces of the lock plate except only in the smaller opening 2| at three spaced points, viz. in the region topped by the acutely-angled edge la oppositejthe neck and in the opposite neck edges facing this same opening where acutely-angled edges b and c are formed. Adjacent each of these points the edges of the opening areslanted in conformity with the walls of a cylinder whose axis is inclined toward the axis of a cylinder dened by the curved edge of the large opening 20.

Near its top the tube wall is out away to provide an arcuate transverse slot s extending circumferentially through something more than 180 perhaps 270 or so. The upper edge 30 of this slot may extend transversely of the tube axis; its lower edge 3| is slanted upwardly from both ends to provide a fulcrum point f at the high center; and the edges of the web 32 constituting the tube wall at the opposite end of the slot extend ina generally vertical direction. When the lock plate L is assembled operatively in place, it will lie in the pane of the slot s; its smaller opening 2| will closely surround the pipe P which is exposed through the slot s to make possible this contact of one with the other; and the sharply-angled edge of this opening,I at the point a which coincides with its maximum extension inwardly thereof, will engage the pipe wall to establish a friction lock therewith at any and all points lengthwise of its surface according to its adjusted position relative to the tube T. The lock plate thus becomes a lever of the third class, the pipe being the effort tending to rock the plate to its downposition.l

In assembling the lock plate in place, the upper tube endv is rst threaded through the larger opening 20 to the point of positioning its slot s opposite the plateythe lock plate is then shifted endwise until the web edges 32 are engaged within the notches 23 in which position (see Fig, 2) the plate opening 2| is coaxially aligned with the pipe; the pipe is then moved upwardly to advance its upper end through the smaller opening 2| of the lockplate; andthe foot and clip ttings are then applied and secured in place whereby to lock the pipe against endwise removal from the tube. When-the lock plate `is being assembled in place,

care should be taken to have uppermost the facethereof which is proximate to the acutely-angled edge a.

In use, the look plate will normally be supported bythe tube at one point-only, viz., the high point f of the slot lower edge 3|, This point is opposite the web 32. The lock-plate is extended away from this-point of support and outwardly beyond the web side of the tube. Its free end tends always-by gravity to swing downwardly. In so doing the plate drops out of a plane which is more or less normal to the axis of the post so as to engage with the pipe at the acutely-angled grip points a, b, and c, each of which makes a short line contact with the pipe. The downward slant of the lower edge 3| of the slot toward the web side of the tube will afford sufficient clearance for this free` rocking movement ofthe-lock plate in response to gravity force. The pipe willaccordingly be gripped frictionally by the edge points a, b, and c so as to be supported by the lock plate at any elevation within it-s range of vertical movements relative to the tube. The lateral extension of the lock plate outwardly of the web side of the tube assures an unbalance for the plate suilicient for the plate to remain always in a down position, regardless of the inclination of the post when in use. To shorten the post the lock plate is lifted at its free end, whereupon the frictional engagement of its gripping points with the pipe i-s terminated, and the pipe is free to descend by gravity.

I claim:

1. An extensible post for vertical support comprising a tube, a pipe slidingly tted within the tube, the tube being formed intermediately of its ends with a transverse slot extending arcuately through more than to expose the pipe therewithin at one point, and a friction lock in the general form of an elongated plate having an opening through which the rinteriitted pipe and tube may extend when the plateis opposite the slot, the plate being extendedlaterally of the tube outwardly away from the slot and there being a high point medially in the lower edge of the slot providing a fulcrum'whereon the plate at a point adjacent one of its ends is free to rock through a limited distance, and the plate being formed to the inside of `its opening with an acuteangled gripping point adjacent the fulcrum whereby to engage the pipe with a high degree of friction when the plate is in its normal down position.

2. Ari-extensible post for vertical support comprising a tube, a pipe sldingly fitted within the tube, the tube being formed intermedately of its ends with a transverse slot extending arcuatelyy through more than 180 to expose the pipe therewithin at one point, and a friction lock in the genera-l formiof an elongated 'plate having anl opening through which the interfitted pipe and tube may extend when the plate i-s opposite the slot, the plate being extended laterally of theI tube outwardly away from the slot and there being a high point medially in the lower edge of the slot providing a fulcrum whereon the plate at a point close to one of its ends is free to rock, through a limited distance, and the plate being formed to the inside of its opening with an acuteangled gripping point adjacent the fulcrum.

whereby to engage the pipe with a high degree of friction when the plate is in its normal down position, the plate being formed also opposite the gripping point with means engaging the tube to prevent lateral swinging movement of the plate.

3. An extensible post for vertical support comprising a tube, a pipe slidingly fitted within the tube, the tube being formed'intermediately of its ends with a transverse slot extended arcuately through more than 180 to expose the pipe therewithin at one point, the tube wall between the slot ends extending continuously in the form of a web, and a friction lock in the general form'of an elongated plate having an opening through which the pipe and tube may extend when the laterally of the tube outwardly upon the web side thereof, there being a high point medially in the lower edge of the slot providing a fulcrum whereon the plate at a point close to one of its ends is free to rock through a limited distance, and the plate being formed with a pair of notches engagable with the web to center the plate opening coaxially with the pipe, and the plate being formed to the inside of its opening with an acuteangled gripping point adjacent its fulcrum whereby to engage the post with a high degree of friction when the plate is in its normal drown position.

4. An extensible post for Vertical support comprising a tube, a pipe slidingly fitted within the tube, the tube being formed intermediately of it-s ends with a transverse slot extending arcuately through more than 180 to expose the pipe therewithin at one point, and an elongated friction lock plate having an opening in the form of two intersecting circles of unequal size, the larger being adapted to closely receive the tube and the smaller to closely receive the pipe, the gap between the circles being partly closed by an arcuate neck, the tube when tted Within the larger opening of the plate permitting the plate to shift endwise to a position where the axis of its smaller opening i-s in coincidence with the axis of the tube only when the plate is positioned opposite the arcuate slot and the post is shifted to an endwise position removed therefrom, the plate 'being locked against removal from the tube when the post is advanced endwise to present itself opposite the slot and within the smaller opening, a fulcrum adjacent one end of the plate whereon the plate is gravity operated to rock to a down position, and means on the plate engagable with the post when the plate is in its normal down position for frictionally locking the post against sliding movement in one direction within the tube.

STANLEY P. TUREK.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Number 

